Air conditioning apparatus



Sept, 3, 194a. G. E. HICKE I ,2 3 3 AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS- Filed July 5, 1.95s 2 Shee'ts-Sheet 1 INVENTOR MaM BY W;

ATTORNEY p 3, 1949' G. E. HICKE 2,233,733

AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS Filed July 5, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORN EY bottom 33.

Patented Sept. 3, 1940 UlTE r'rs 5 Claims.

My invention relates to an air conditioning apparatus particularly for moving vehicles, and one of the chief objects of my invention is to provide an improved apparatus which will provide moistened air for the carburetor of an internal combustion engine operating the compressor and 'at the same time provide air of a low dry bulb temperature for the radiator of the cooling system connected to the internal combustion engine.

Another object of my invention is to combine the internal combustion engine and the heat exchange cycle apparatus in one housing designed to be hung from the floor of a moving vehicle and wherein a single fan will move air not only through the evaporative condenser but past the radiator.

Another object of my invention is to arrange the position of the evaporative condenser and the radiator in the path of the air so that the air is passed, first, throughthe evaporative condenser and, secondly, through the radiator.

Another object of my invention is to provide moistened air for the carburetor of the internal combustion engine.

Another object of my invention is to vary the volume of air drawn through the condenser.

The foregoing and many other specific features of my invention are set forth in the following specification, where I describe what I consider the preferred embodiments of my invention. These are illustrated in the accompanying drawings where- Figure 1 is a vertical cross section of the apparatus.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus. Referring to Figures 1 to 2, inclusive, an evap-v orative condenser coil it together with the liquid receiver 25, the sprays l3, and line 26 from the liquidreceiver to the evaporator 27, return line 28 to the compressorlfi, constitutes the heat exchange cycle apparatus. The internal combustion engine 29 with the radiator it, which is a part of the cooling system for said engine, and the carburetor 20 for said engine, constitute the internal combustion engine apparatus. All

of this apparatus is enclosed. within a housing comprising the sides 30 and 3t, top 32, and the and one air outlet It. The air inlet H is designed for the entrance of air which is to be treated or moistened before passing over the evaporative condenser, then. the radiator and then past the carburetor. The air inlet I2 is designed for the entrance of air which is to be There are two air inlets H and 12- passed by the engine in its natural state without being conditioned. These inlets are located on opposite sides of the vehicle, andinlet I2 is provided with damper 35 which regulates the amount of air passing there-through. The air 5 outlet i3 is located inthe bottom of thehousing and in a moving vehicle would be exhausted upon the roadbed.

The fan l8 operates to draw air from said inlets to the outlet at a constant cfm so that It the opening of the inlet l2 will operate to draw more air through inlet 92 than through it because of friction, which is very desirable because there are localities such as found in the southwest part of the United States where the dry 15 bulb temperatures are high, with an extremely low relative humidity, in which case the evaporative condenser, in addition to absorbing the condensing load, actually accomplishes evaporative cooling of the air, resulting in an excessive 2Q waste of water. To compensate for this ineficiency, the volume of the air passing by the condenser is reduced by opening the inlet l2 and by-passing a certain amount of unconditioned outside air-past the power unit. The 25 housing is attached to the floor 22 of the moving vehicle, the sides of which are representedby the numerals 2 3 and the top 23.

A filter 3 is positioned in the inlet ll so that the air supplied to the carburetor is not only 30 moist but clean.

While I have described the foregoing preferred embodiments of my invention, I contemplate that many changes may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. In an air conditioning apparatus, the combination of heat exchange cycle apparatus comprising a compressor, an evaporator, an evaporative condenser, an internal combustion engine w actuating the compressor, a radiator to cool said engine with a carburetor in connection therewith, a housing for said apparatus and engine and the radiator and past said carburetorto said outlet.

2. In an air conditioning apparatus for a mov- 5 ing vehicle, the combination of a heat exchangecycle apparatus comprising a compressor, an

evaporator, an evaporative condenser, an internal combustion engine actuating the compressor, a radiator to cool said engine, a housing for said 5;;

apparatus and engine mounted beneath the floor of said vehicle with an air inlet on one side of the vehicle, a second air inlet on the other side of the vehicle, an outlet in the bottom of the housing, and a fan drawing air through said inlets, through the evaporative condenser and the radiator to said outlet.

inlet on the other side of the vehicle, an outlet in the-bottom of the housing, and a fan draw ing air through said inlets, through the evaporative condenser and the radiator ,to said outlet.

4. In an air conditioning apparatus for a moving vehicle, the combination of a heat exchange cycle apparatus comprising a compressor, an evaporator, an evaporative condenser, an internal combustion engine actuating the compressor, a radiator to cool said engine, a housing for. said apparatus and engine mounted beneath the floor of said vehicle with an air inlet on one side of the vehicle, a second air inlet on the other side of the vehicle for air designed to pass the engine in its natural condition, an outlet in the bottom of the housing, and a fan drawing air through ,said inlets, through the evaporative condenser and the radiator to said outlet.

5. In an air conditioning apparatus for a moving vehicle, the combination of a heat exchange cycle apparatus comprising a compressor, an evaporator, an evaporative condenser, an internal combustion engine actuating the compressor, a radiator to cool said engine, a housing for said apparatus and engine mounted beneath the floor of said vehicle with an air inlet on one side of the vehicle, a second air inlet on the other side of the vehicle, an outlet in the bottom of the housing, means to vary the flow of air through said inlets, and a fan drawing air through said inlets, through the evaporative condenser and the radiator to said outlet.

GERALD E. HICKE. 

